Clothes-washer.



W. B. MAOLEAN. CLOTHES WASHER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1908.

Patented July 12,1910.

WITNESSES z ATTY'S.

mvmwon w. B. MLLBAN CLOTHES-WASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 1908.

Patented July 12, 1910.

Serial No. 450,576.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM BALMER IAoLnAN, of the town of Brockville, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Washers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clothes washers, and the objects of my invention are to provide a simple and effective labor saving device, by means of which clothes may be washed in a thoroughly reliable manner; and it consists essentially of a receptacle having a free compressing plunger therein, adapted to permit the passage of water therethrough, while compressing the clothes, all as hereinafter more fully set forth and described in the accompanying specification and drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the grating removed from the plunger.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the receptacle of suitable shape and formed of any desired material, such as sheet metal, the receptacle illustrated being cylindrical in form.

B represents the free compressing plunger, within the receptacle, fitting closely to the sides thereof.

The plunger is formed with a suitable handle 10, and a conical lower portion 11 conveniently constructed of sheet metal and having apertures 12 in the sides thereof, for the free passage of liquid.

In the lower frusto-conical base portion 13 of the plunger, a foraminous member, such as the grating 14 is provided, the member preferably, also having means on the underside for gripping the clothes located in the receptacle beneath the plunger. The means illustrated to effect this, consist of oppositely-turned hooks 15 and 16 which, on a turning movement of the plunger, will grip the clothes.

To protect the face and hands of the operator, from the steam of the boiling water, a cover C is provided for the receptacle, the said cover preferably having means enabling the tilting movement of the handle, as it will be found easier to raise the plunger by tilting the same slightly to prevent air suction. These means, in the embodiment illustrated, comprise a single aperture 20, provided with a flexible connecting member 21 of fabric or similar material having a single aperture 22 through which the handle eX- tends. As the aperture 20 in the cover is considerably larger than the diameter of the handle, the latter may be moved a considerable distance from side to side to effect tilting in the upward movement for the purpose before mentioned.

In operation, the clothes are placed in the bottom of the receptacle and boiling, soapy water poured thereon. The plunger is then alternately raised and lowered compressing the clothes on the downward stroke. As the clothes are compressed, the water in the lower part of the receptacle passes through them and through the plunger. On the upward movement, the clothes rise to a certain extent with the plunger and are again drawn through the water, and thus the water is forced through the clothes, and operates to very quickly clean the same from all dirt.

I do not claim the peculiar form of receptacle as my plunger may be used with any kind of receptacle.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a clothes washer, a plunger containing a grating in the lower end thereof and means underneath said grating to engage and disengage the clothes during the process of washing.

2. In a clothes washer a clothes compressing plunger, the said plunger being formed with a grating in the bottom thereof and having outwardly inclined walls with apertures therein, the said walls being adapted to cause the liquid passing through the grating and apertures, to flow outwardly, and means underneath the grating for gripping the clothes.

3. In a clothes washer a clothes compressing plunger, the said plunger being formed with a grating in the bottom thereof and having outwardly inclined walls with apertures therein, the said walls being adapted to cause the liquid passing through the grating, and apertures, to flow outwardly, and clothes gripping hooks underneath the grating.

at. In a clothes washer, a plunger having a conical lower end, a gratino in said conical end located at a distance above the bottom thereof, means on said grating for engaging the clothes and said conical lower end having openings therein above the grating.

5. In a clothes washer, a plunger having rigid hooks on the underside thereof adapted to alternately grip and release the clothes during operation. 10

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

WVILLIAM BALMER MAOLEAN. WVitnesses RUssEL S. SMART, M. GILBnRTsoN. 

